


Forest Deep

by WolfjawsWriter



Category: Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: F/M, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 18:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16603055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfjawsWriter/pseuds/WolfjawsWriter
Summary: “Forest Deep” -Lucy x LockwoodLockwood and Co. SeriesSummary: Don’t go into the forest.Warnings: violence, verbal abuse, near death but not quite.AU: Hogwarts





	Forest Deep

“Well done! Very well done, five points for Gryffindor, Miss Carlyle. Lets pack up and get the Bowtruckles back in their compound”

 

I gathered the little tree-like creatures in my arms, making sure they were perched correctly and gently picked myself from the ground. The Bowtruckles chirped happily on my arms, contently gossiping about themselves. They were always in amazing mood after letting students coo and awe over them. 

 

"Alright, here you go" I mused as I reached the tree in which they lived. Extending my arms to the trunk and enclosing my fists to a branch, the Bowtruckles crossed safely. 

One of them, a little critter with twisted twig-arms, four-root legs and three leaves sprouting from its head, looked back at me and took one of my fingers in its arms, then gave a little chirp.

 

"You're welcome, Hamish" I laughed softly and caressed its little head with my finger. The critter rubbed itself contently against it, gave one last chirp and walked away to catch up with the rest of its kind.

 

I walked back to the hut where Hagrid had just dismissed the rest of the students. We had just taken our class with the Hufflepuffs, which is why we tended to the Bowtruckles; Hufflepuffs love them.

 

"They prefer to stick with the smaller animals" Hagrid explained "You, Gryffindors, however, are harder to entertain, always aiming for the bigger ones, but we’ll keep with smaller creatures during class for now” It was true; Hufflepuffs preferred the smaller creatures, while Slytherins and Gryffindors asked for the big and dangerous beasts. Ravenclaws weren’t that picky as a group, they would normally go along with whatever was presented before them, but if they could find you on your own they would ask for something specific. Some of the bigger beasts, no doubt.

 

I helped him pack away the rest of the equipment that was used in class and got ready to walk inside the hut with Hagrid for our weekly afternoon tea. We did this every Thursday since my last class of the day was Care of Magical Creatures; we would go inside, sit at the table with a steaming teapot and some of Hagrid’s uneatable sweets _(which I would never eat)_ and after that we would have a long and pleasant talk, then he would walk me to the castle’s doors where Lockwood would be normally waiting for me. 

 

I had told him before there was no need for him to wait for me at the door, but he always insisted, saying he just wanted to make sure I got back safely. Of course I did, nothing ever lurked on the this far on the forest at this hours.

 

We were just about to enter the hut when a far of sound caught my ear, fast but heavy, a  stomping. Then, a swift movement caught my attention. It was barely there, just on the corner of my eye, but it was. A big, white wisp at the edge of the woods. I turned my head to give it my full attention, but there was nothing there.

 

“Hagrid, did you see that?” I asked.

 

“Mmh, see what Lucy?” The giant man asked behind me. I searched the trees on the boundary, securing every minor and mayor detail to memory. But there was nothing. The stomping was gone too.

 

“I…thought I saw something” I mussed softly.

 

“That’s strange” Hagrid grumbled “The forest’s creatures don’t usually come close enough to be seen on the border”

 

“It seemed…” My eyes kept scanning the woods “…it sounded like horse…”

 

“A horse?”

 

“Like hooves”

 

“Hooves? How strange, centaurs don’t like coming close to the school” Hagrid stepped away from the steps of the hut, taking his crossbow from where it lay beside the wall “There aren’t many hoof-creatures in the woods, only centaurs and-”

 

“Unicorns!” I realized. I jumped from the steps and stood before the man “Hagrid, we must go look for it!”

 

“What?” 

 

“Please! You know this might be my only chance to see one” I took the crossbow from his giant hands.

 

“Lucy, its getting late, we shouldn’t wander into the forest now” He reasoned.

 

“Hagrid!” I whined “You promised to take me looking sometime, and I’ve only got one more year of classes” Personally, whining and begging wasn’t my style, not when asking for something or for any other reason, but unicorns were the rarest of magical creatures and the option of seeing one had just come up, I couldn’t let it pass “It can’t have gone too far, and we don’t have to search the whole forest, just the close area to the border, please!”

 

“Well, I did said that…” Hagrid grumbled under his breath “Oh, alright! But it’ll be short, we don’t have much time!”

 

Few minutes after that, we entered the forest, Hagrid with his crossbow and Fang, and me with my wand. 

 

Wandering around the forest wasn’t allowed to any student, unless they were going in with a teacher and for a determined reason. I had never been a strict follower of that rule, however; I had entered the forest many times, with and without Hagrid. I know I shouldn’t, but so far every time I had entered the forest had been amazing, even if dangerous, I wouldn’t stop coming for anything. Specially not now that we could find an unicorn!

 

The trees in the forest covered the ground and grew unkept, creating a roof-like appearance on top of our heads. The sun barely entered through the leaves and branches, and the more we walked in the less sun, to the point where only a few meters in it already looked like midnight inside the forest.

 

 _“Lumos”_ The end of my wand shone with a small white light, bright enough to light my next few steps from where I stood. Fang sniffed all around us, whining and growling softly at the quiet smells and sounds. Hagrid lowered this crossbow and started inspecting the trees, looking for signs of the mystical creature. 

 

For muggles, unicorns were fake, only myths from ancient times and stories for little girls. I once believed that too, before coming to Hogwarts. But magicians know they are real, and abundant indeed, in the wild. Unicorns weren’t easy creatures to find, they liked to stay in the peace and quiet, but there were magicians who had managed to capture some.

 

Of course, we weren’t going to capture it, I only wanted to see it up close. 

 

“Something definitely wandered here” Hagrid breathed. The death silence of the woods made it uncomfortable to talk in normal voice, even whispering seemed like an offense to its live-less atmosphere “It was here, it can’t have gone too far. Do you want to keep looking?” Hagrid looked back at me, smiling under his beard. 

 

“Its still daylight” I said, excitement growing in my stomach “There’s still time to look around”

 

“In that case, we should spilt up” Hagrid readjusted his bow “We could cover ground that way, and hopefully find it easier, you’ll be alright, won’t you?”

 

“I’ve already been here on my own, Hagrid, I’ll be fine” True, I had actually come here on my own before, many times in fact _(to Lockwood’s great displeasure)_ and had run into many big and small creatures. 

 

“Well, remember the Don’ts; don’t attack any creature who doesn’t attack you first, stay in the clearings and don’t lurk in the dark spots” 

 

“I know, Hagrid” I moaned impatiently “I know, we’ve been here tons of times!”

 

“Good” He said, whistled for Fang to come back and gave me a pat on my shoulder “If you find it, make red sparks with you wand, I’ll send Fang to fetch you if we find it. Now, let’s look for unicorns”

 

With that, I made my way to from one side of the clearing in which we stood, and Hagrid and Fang from the other. The sound of crunching leaves under my feet was deafening, my quiet breathing somehow seeming like strong pants to my ears. Even though the forest was full of all kinds of creatures, you couldn’t hear any signs of life in it.

 

I kept walking as straight as I could thought the trees, the small batches of sunlight helping me see father than the light of my wand could lit. Suddenly, I heard something behind me. Heavy, stomping, swift. Hoof steps.

 

I turned around, but there was nothing behind me. Only trees. The hoof steps were gone. I scanned my surroundings carefully. After a few minutes of scrutinizing the forest, I turned back to where I was going and resumed my walking. The little sun batches on my way slowly started to go dull and scarce, a sign of either how late it was or far into the forest I was. Anyway, I wasn’t going back still. 

 

Somewhere to my side, far into the trees, the sound of hoof steps reappeared. Calm, heavy, unhurried. I took a turn, listening closely to be sure I wasn’t going the wrong way, and walked in the direction of the sound, but a few steps after it, the sound took a sharp swing and it turned into running. So I ran after it.

 

The hoof steps resounded all around me. The leafs under my feet crunched as I ran. I heard a neigh ahead of me. Snorts too. I ran faster, as fast as my short legs could take me. The sounds were becoming clearer. I could hear snorting and neighing before me. I was getting closer. My breathing was ragged, appearing in puffs beside my head. The sound of another, heavier breathing. I was almost with it.

 

I pushed through some trees and found myself in a clearing. The sky above me was becoming darker, the sun already hid behind the trees and stars just about beginning to appear in the sky. Looking around, I noticed rocks and bushes growing on the ground. Before me, stood a slender, pure white horse, with big and round eyes, framed by the longest eyelashes I’d ever seen. It had long, silvery locks as a mane and at the end of its long tail, and its fur shined brightly even in the scarce sunlight. At the top of its head sat a thin, lustrous horn.

 

I couldn’t believe it. I took a step forward, careful not to scare the beautiful creature. It just looked at me, serenely and peaceful. It just stared at me with curious eyes, blinking silently as I kept advancing. My hand extended slowly, reaching for the muzzle. I was about to touch it when I noticed the white of its fur becoming transparent.

 

I watched in shock as the horse vanished, little by little, until it was gone.

 

“Surprised?” 

 

**——Lockwood——**

 

It was getting late. The sun was already setting behind the Forbidden Forest as I waited. I knew Lucy and Hagrid could sometimes get carried away on their weekly meetings, specially when they talked about rare magical creatures, but they were never almost an hour late! 

 

After my conversation with Nicholas yesterday, I had been dreading and anticipating this hour of the day anxiously. I still wasn't sure how he got hold of Lucy's letter, and I still felt guilty about reading it, but I couldn't help myself. Besides, now I know I will not ruin our friendship by doing this, it brought some mayor good! I wouldn't dream of doing this if I knew it could break things between me and Lucy: I have spent years building the trust there is between us, and I wasn't risking that for a stupid conversation that could not be worth ir. But now I knew that would not happen. Now I could tell Lucy how much I truly love without fear of her rejecting me, because I know she feels the same! 

The letter was Lucy's aright, I would recognize her penmanship everywhere, and to read the way she felt for me gave me the confidence I needed. So, I wanted to tell her tonight, before we went for dinner. This small moments that she and I got for ourselves were previous to me and I knew I wanted to tell her in a special moment. Only problem is, I can't tell her anything if she's not here to listen!

 

I saw someone moving up the stepping stones, someone big and corpulent. Immediately, I jumped to my senses; there they were! Stepping forward to greet them, my smile vanished when I noticed it was only one person.

 

“Hagrid?” 

 

“Oh Lockwood, I see you're still here” I frowned. He seemed out of breath, a cross bow was on his hand and he had his heavy-cold coat on.

 

“Yes, I am waiting for Lucy, like I always do” I said. Now he frowned.

 

“She's still not back?” He asked. My brow creased further, worry swelling slowly in the pit of my stomach. 

 

“Back from where?” I moved to looked around him, searching on the grounds for Lucy's small, robed  figure, or her bob of brunette hair, or a sign of the red and golden scarf I knew she had put on for today. It was still chilly, February always is.

 

“From the forest”

 

“You went to the forest?!” My guts felt like they hardened inside me.

 

“She's already been to the Forbidden Forest before, Lucy knows perfectly well what she's in for” Hagrid smiled. Ok, he was right about that; Lucy had been to the forest before, with him, with me, George and Holly, and even alone. I didn’t liked that she had gone on her own before, I didn’t take Care of Magical Creatures, animals didn’t tend to trust or like me much, but I didn’t need to be in that class to know that all sorts of beasts live in the forest.

 

“I know she has, Hagrid, but I need to talk to her, its urgent!” 

 

**——Lucy——**

 

“Its good to finally catch you alone, Carlyle”

 

I had my wand in my hand in seconds. Three figures had walked out of the threes, wearing long robes over grey, same-looking sweaters and black slacks. They had long scarves wrapped around their necks, emerald green stripes over plain grey. 

 

“We’ll finally be able to finish our little ‘talk’, remember?” One of them growled. There was no way I wouldn’t remember, students weren’t really allowed to forget. The difference between students was heavily marked, not only among students themselves, but some teachers too. 

 

I, like a minority of other students, am a Muggleborn, a magician born from both muggle parents, probably with some ancient magical relative. Most students were Halfbloods, born from a muggle and a wizard. The other minority of students, but second biggest group, were Purebloods, born from two magicians, and many times descendants of big families entirely made of Purebloods. 

 

Most Purebloods ended in Slytherin _(like Lockwood, who’s both parent’s had been magicians)_ , while the rest could end going to any other house. I had never been sure why I was in Gryffindor, but I didn’t question it much. The hat know what it does.

 

“Do you remember where we left off last time, Irwin?” 

 

“Yes, I think I do, Gilbert” They talked among each other. I stood my ground, not moving even one inch from where I was, trying my best to show them I wasn’t scared of them. I wasn’t a that little girl anymore “I believe we left off while we were telling her what a filthy Mudblood she is!”

 

“That was years ago!” I growled. I pulse of energy hit me right across my chest, pushing me a few steps back, giving me a strange sensation.

 

“Save your breath, Mudblood” Gilbert chuckled lowly as we walked forward “You’re going to need it” After the odd sensation in me washed away a second later, I felt my throat fill to be brim with something big and solid. My breath hitched as whatever was inside me blocked all the way to my lungs and giving me an horrific taste in my mouth, making me gag. My stomach jumped in revulsion inside me. I needed to get it out!

 

The third figure walked out from behind the first two guys, snickering as I gagged.

 

“Agh! Ahgagh!” I doubled over, sticking out my tongue. Something big and heavy slimed its way up my throat, slowly as I choked “Gah!”

 

The sound of laughter morphed with the one of that something wet hitting the floor, splatting on the dirt. It was instantly followed out by more of whatever it was. My eyes were closed tightly in effort of pushing the rest out, so I couldn’t see what was it. 

 

“Look at the size of it!” Irwin laughed from above me. My stomach convulsed once more, the muscles of my throat tightening around the thing, pushing it up and out. It left my mouth with another doused splat. I gulped mouthfuls of air, filling and emptying my lungs as fast as I could.

 

“Wow Carlyle, I must admit I’ve never seen some this big before!” Gilbert was suddenly standing beside me, laughing at the scene I had just made of myself. 

 

I opened my eyes, slowly, my breathing going back to normal. My gaze was slightly glazed, but still clear enough for me to recognize what had fallen from my mouth in front of me. It was sardines. Bigger than normal, long, fat and slimy sardines. The sight of them made vile raise up my throat, threatening to come out too, but I kept my mouth shut and swallowed it back.

 

“You know, this ones only form big enough to fit on the victims throat” Gilbert crouched, leaning heavily on my shoulder “I wonder, what things have you had down that filthy mudblood throat of yours…” 

 

“You pig!” I hissed, pushing him off me.

 

“Oh really?” His hand enclosed on my shoulder, tightening painfully, bringing the slightest hint of tears to my eyes. Suddenly, his hot breath was on my ear, his voice low and husky “I’m not the one who got caught with Marcus Connoly in the Common Room…” 

 

My face heated up in shame.

 

“That’s only a rumor!” I tried to push him off again, but the sick feeling of fullness in my throat returned, making me loose my balance.

 

“Look at that, guys!” Gilbert’s voice said somewhere above me. The air was again blocked from my lungs. I heard them laugh again as my muscles contracted, pushing out another jam of sardines “Isn’t that how all mudbloods should look? Bowed before us!”

 

“I’ll never…agh!…bow for you!” I spat the fish’s slime into his boots.

 

“You mudblood bitch!” The boot kicked me square in the face. I stumbled backwards, my back hitting ground, feeling my throat fill again to the point of choking “I’ll teach you to respect your superiors!” 

 

A boot landed on my stomach, brutally jamming on me. The air that was left inside me was forced out by the boot, making me throw out the newly-formed fish. They burst from my mouth, falling beside my head. I gripped at the boot.

 

“Lesson one; you don’t talk back!” The boot trusted further into me. I gritted my teeth, the feeling of sickness wearing off my throat. I felt something pressing against my side, hard and uncomfortable. My wand! “Understood, you filthy mudblood?”

 

I drowned my reply with gritted teeth while one of my hands tried to sneak to my wand, wrecking my mind for a way to free myself. 

 

“Gilbert made you a question, bitch” A black point appeared on my vision. Irwin had his wand facing directly at my face “You better answer, if you don’t want another horde of fish up your-”

 

“ _Baubillius_!” A bright light bolted from the tip of my wand. The three guys were sent flying, landing somewhere on the clearing. I took a mouthful of air and pushed myself off the ground, wand in hand. I had to get back to the castle.

 

“Ugh, you little-” Gilbert jumped to his feet “ _Rosae!_ ” 

 

A thin branch erected from the ground just as I passed, gripping my leg. I yelped, trying to wrench myself away, but another branch twined on my next leg. The vines grew thicker, leaves sprouting from them, as well as blooming red roses, and thorns that ripped my socks and embedding on my skin. I hissed in pain.

 

“What is it?” The older Slytherin snickered mockingly “Are a few little rose thorns too much for the Tiny Lioness?”

 

I swore under my breath and pointed my wand at the flowers “ _Mortem!_ ” The red roses died in an instant, browning and drying to the point of blackness. The vine thinned, sucking itself dead. The thorns fell away.

 

The third figure, a Slytherin boy just like the first two, took out his wand, pointing forward “ _Diffindo!_ ” I had barely jumped from the dead bush when the spell hit my leg, throwing me to the ground. The skin was pierced, right under my skirt’s hem, making a long, bleeding gash. I cried out loud, hand on the wound.

 

“You’re not going anywhere, you filthy little bitch” Gilbert growled, walking towards me. Still, despite the pain, I got back to my feet.

 

“You can’t escape us, you mudblood!” I ran into the trees, hearing them close behind me. The blood pumped on my ears, almost covering the sound of crunching leaves beneath my feet and the loud laughter behind my steps. 

 

The darkness of the night was now overpowering, the whole sky bathed with it. The stars were just coming out above me, but I couldn’t stop to admire their brightness. I had to get away, I wasn’t that far from the border of the forest, I just had to get there and I’d be out! I’d be safe! I would run back to the castle and Lockwood would be waiting for me at the doors! He’d be there and he’d hug me like he always did and I’d be safe from Gilbert and Irwin and the other guy; they wouldn’t be able to get me once I was in Lockwood’s arms, I knew they-

 

“ _Sectumsempra_!” Three different energy blasts hit me on my back, sending me against a tree. I gasped when the air was pushed out of my lungs, and before I got it back, a blinding pain overcame me. I felt the skin on my back be pierced by hundreds of blades under my clothes, all the way from my shoulder blades to my lower back and then to my legs. 

 

The sudden pounding in my head and the sound of laughter around me made it difficult to understand I was screaming, my eyes half blinded by the tears the were now pooling on them. My knees trembled under my weight, blood running down under my skirt and my tights. I fell to the ground.

 

“Look at that!” Someone, presumably Gilbert, laughed somewhere behind me “Given up already, Carlyle? I thought you’d be stronger! So much for being a Gryffindor! Come on, get up! Give us a real fight!”

 

I couldn’t feel my breath coming in or out of me. The tears streamed down my cheeks. My soaked uniform made the wounds on my back burn, but I couldn’t moved. My arms barely answered to my attempts of adjusting myself on the dirt. 

 

“She can’t even get up!”

 

“Isn’t that pathetic?”

 

“Can’t believe we beat her that easily!” 

 

“Look at all that blood! She’ll surely still attract werewolves the next full-”

 

The laugher was replaced with yelling and cursing. Even though I couldn’t tell them apart, I could also hear magical bursts and spells being thrown haphazardly. There was a blast somewhere close and millions of tiny splinters and chunks of wood fell around me, but I barely noticed. 

 

“Lucy!”

 

Something made my vision fuzzy. 

 

“Leave her alone, you bastards!”

 

Tears still ran down my cheeks. There was one last surge of magical energy behind me.

 

“…her or I will skin you alive!”

 

My brain, with the last bits of adrenaline I still had, told me to run away from the imposing and towering figure that suddenly loomed on top of me. I couldn’t make out its details. I could barely see its legs beside my body, going up to join with the rest of it. But it was tall, too tall for my liking. 

 

I tried to squirm away from it.

 

“Lucy! Lucy, are you alright?!” The thing dropped beside me. My squirming died away as the energy in my drained through my wounds “Lucy?!”

 

It gathered me against itself. My face laid against it, the rest of me cradled in its strong limbs. I felt the urge to fight it.

 

“Please! Lucy, please, talk to me!” My tears felt against it, soaking its soft surface. My body was numb in pain now. The smell of blood overwhelming me was nauseating. My eyes started closing “No, Lucy! Look- look at me,- please, don’t close your eyes! You can’t do it, Lucy! I- I can’t loose- you! I- I- I love you! Lucy, I- I’m in love you, and I can’t- can’t bear to loose you now! Peas- …! You can’t cl…ur eyes…! You ha…e strong!”

 

But they closed.

 

“No,…be strong! Lucy…”

 

“You can’t…! Plea…”

 

“…Lucy…!”

 

**————**

 

I wasn’t in pain. I couldn’t feel anything actually.

 

But I could hear. I heard people talking. I could hear someone walking somewhere around me. And I heard something beating, enclosing me, soothingly slow.

 

Then I opened my eyes.

 

I was in the infirmary. The bright light of day entered through the windows, burning my eyes. The other beds were empty, immaculately clean like Quill had just passed here. Mrs Pomfrey was nowhere around, probably in her office. There was a strong scent to herbs in the room, but…there was something else.

Something familiar and…strangely comforting…

 

I slowly turned my head. I expected to be overcome by a strong pain, but my body was completely numb. Still, I looked over to the bedside table, where a glass of water and many, many candy boxes and ‘get better’ cards were placed. And beside them, folded on a chair with his arms tightly holding his legs, head on his arms, was Lockwood.

 

“…Lo-” My throat was dry “Lock-wood…” 

 

His head rose immediately, looking at me with bloodshot eyes. There were bags beneath them, and his dark curls that were usually so well kept now looked like a stray animal, dirty and matted, on top of his head. He wasn’t wearing his robe with his uniform, his grey sweater torn and dirtied with mud, just like his slacks. He looked pitiful.

 

“Lucy!” He jumped from the chair and was by my side in less than a second “Are you alright? Do you need anything? How do you feel? Does anything hurt? God, I’m- I’m so sorry, Lucy, I should have been there! I can’t- can’t- can’t believe this happened- I-”

 

“Lockwood” I placed my hand over his. He stopped talking, gulping. I took a moment to appreciate how huge his hand was; it always amazed me how tiny my hands looked compared to his. When I looked up, there were tears on the corner of his eyes as he looked down “Lockwood…what- what happened…?”

 

“Luce, you-” He shifted uneasily, looking everywhere but me “You were- …you were bleeding so much…I managed to get them away, but…but you- you- your clothes were torn and- all the _blood_ , Lucy, I- I barely got you here on time! …and Mrs Pomfrey, she- she didn’t knew if you’d…if you’d make it-…you had three _sectumsempras_ done to you, Lucy…”

 

My eyes widened, my hand gripping his tightly. One sectumsempra alone had been enough to almost kill Lockwood a year ago after the Yule Ball, during his duel against Marcus Conolly. It had taken an hour for Mrs Pomfrey to clean and close all the twelve stabs he had gotten on his chest, and he had had great difficulties moving around during the next few months after that. He spent so much time having to change bandages and in pain from the stabs…

 

“I- I didn’t want to be away from you Luce…” He swallowed thickly, blushing greatly“not- not after…after saying that…”

 

I frowned. I hadn’t seen him blush like this before; I had many times seen him flush, in anger, in embarrassment, but never blush…

 

“After saying what, Lockwood?” I asked innocently. He looked at me, outraged and surprised. Even angry. Then his eyes casted down, sadly.

 

“You- …you don’t remember?” His voice was barely a whisper.

 

“Remember what Lockwood?”

 

He didn’t answer. His eyes were firmly on his shoes, avoiding my gaze. His face was bright red, a contrast from how he was very pale. He shook his head slowly and a silent tear slid down his cheek, quickly, falling on the bed. 

 

“…Lockwood?”

 

“…I’m sorry Luce…I shouldn’t have been so…certain you’d remember…after all, it was- _is_ very trivial…”

 

“Lockwood” My hand clenched on his a little tighter as another tear fell from his other eyes “Tell me, please. It most have been important if you wanted me to remember”

 

“It really isn’t important, Luce…I- I shouldn’t have held my hopes that- that you’d- you’d-…”

 

“Tell me,… _please_ ”

 

He blinked away his tears, making them slide down his cheeks. His hand rose mine to his lips, kissing it like he often did, though his hand trembled softly. I blushed.

 

“…I love you, Luce” His voice quivered as he talked. My eyes widened as I looked at him. More tears flowed down his cheeks “I love you, Lucy, so, _so much_. I- I can’t even tell you how much I love you- I- I thought I lost you! I can’t- can’t loose you! I can’t bear the thought of loosing, you- not after- not now that I’ve- lost my parents and Jessica- !” His knees gave away and he fell against the bed, his head on my shoulder. I held him against me, fingers lacing with his dark curls. 

 

I zoned out of his rambling. I couldn’t believe what I heard: Lockwood loved me?! He didn’t say like, he said _love_! But how could he love me? Whatever possessed him to like me? Tiny, plain, null Lucy, when there were girls that were so much more lively and lovely like Macey Kingslay. Though I am aware that Lockwood can’t stand the thought or mention of Macey, and for _very_ legitimate reasons, there were so many girls, most of them much better than her in so many aspects, and that he could like!

 

“…can’t live without you- Lucy! I need you! I need you with me, please! I can’t ever imagine my life- without you!” He kept sobbing against my shoulder, and I kept scratching his scalp, slowly managing to get him calm again. 

 

“Lockwood…I love you too”

 

He looked up at me with wide eyes, like a child who’d just gotten found by his mom “…re- really Luce?”

 

“Yes, Lockwood, really”

 

He slowly grew smile, the vivacity of his usual self finding itself in him again. I smiled back. His arms wrapped around me, careful to not cause me any pain, even though I still felt none of it. 

 

“I love you, Luce. I love you more than anything”

 

“I love you too, Lockwood. I’ve loved you for so long” 

 

His face buried in my shoulder, smiling brightly. I smiled too, rubbing his back. We stayed like that for a long while until Mrs Pomfrey came to see how I was doing, then she called our friends to let them know I was alright. It was only a few minutes later that I found myself squashed between Holly’s and Noah’s arms, George and Quill standing beside the bed. Lockwood sat beside me the whole while, our hands intertwined. 

 

I was happy to have them all with me then, realizing that if Lockwood hadn’t come in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, I would have never had a chance to be here with them again.


End file.
